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This settlement is closed!
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Ford Motor Co. has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit related to an alleged spark plug defect in certain Ford and Lincoln vehicles. If you are a current or former owner or lessee of a Ford F-150, Ford F-Super Duty truck, Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator or Lincoln Mark LT, you may be entitled to compensation from the class action settlement.
The Ford class action lawsuit alleges that the following vehicles with 5.4-liter 3-valve engines contain defects that cause the spark plugs to become stuck and sometimes break in the engine during the removal process:
- 2004-2008 Ford F-150 trucks
- 2005-2008 Ford F-250 trucks
- 2005-2008 Ford F-350 trucks
- 2005-2008 Ford Expeditions
- 2005-2008 Lincoln Navigators
- 2006-2008 Lincoln Mark LTs
According to the Ford class action lawsuit, the spark plug defects make it more difficult and expensive to remove the spark plugs. The plaintiffs assert that Ford should have known that the two-piece spark plugs used in the 5.4-liter 3-valve engines were prone to become stuck and break in the engine during the removal process.
Ford denies the allegations but agreed to settle the class action lawsuit to avoid the cost and risk of further litigation. The class action settlement provides partial reimbursement for past and future spark plug replacements.
The Ford spark plug class action settlement was preliminarily approved on June 18, 2015.
UPDATE: The Settlement Administrator is in the process of working through the Claim Forms submitted by Class Members. According to the settlement website, checks are expected to be mailed out by late spring 2016.
UPDATE JULY 2, 2016: The “late Spring 2016” update has been removed from the settlement website and replaced with the following: “The settlement administrator is currently processing claims submitted by class members. Class members will be notified after their claims have been processed.” Top Class Actions will continue to provide updates as we learn more. Keep checking back and let us know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.
Who’s Eligible
Class Members of the Ford spark plug settlement include all current or former owners or lessees of the following vehicles:
- 2004-2008 Ford F-150 trucks
- 2005-2008 Ford F-250 trucks
- 2005-2008 Ford F-350 trucks
- 2005-2008 Ford Expeditions
- 2005-2008 Lincoln Navigators
- 2006-2008 Lincoln Mark LTs
The vehicles covered by the Ford spark plug class action settlement must have been sold or leased in the United States and contain a 5.4 liter 3-valve engine.
Potential Award
Varies. The amount each Class Member is entitled to receive depends upon the cost incurred and any documentation provided.
Class Members who spent more than $300 in parts and labor to replace 8 spark plugs are entitled to partial reimbursement for the documented and unreimbursed amounts paid to a Ford-authorized dealer, third-party repair facility or parts supplier for the parts and labor required to obtain a spark plug replacement.
Under the terms of the class action settlement, “Spark Plug Replacement” means:
- Replacement or attempted replacement of one or more spark plugs that occurred when the vehicle had been driven no more than 120,000 miles; or
- Replacement or attempted replacement of one or more spark plugs that occurred when the vehicle had been driven more than 120,000 miles if an authorized Ford dealership instructed the Class Member to wait to have the spark plugs replaced.
NOTE: If your vehicle has more than 120,000 miles and you have not yet had the spark plugs replaced, you must have the Spark Plug Replacement completed at an authorized Ford dealership no later than Dec. 22, 2015 to be eligible for reimbursement from the class action settlement.
Proof of Purchase
Appropriate documentation of the Spark Plug Replacement is necessary to obtain partial reimbursement from the class action settlement. Such documentation may include a copy of a receipt or other documentation showing:
- The services performed
- The name of the repair facility or dealership that performed the Spark Plug Replacement
- The date of service
- The amount paid
- The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), the parts number of the replacement spark plugs, or some other indicator that the spark plugs were replaced in a vehicle
- The mileage of the vehicle
Class Members who are unable to submit a copy of a receipt or other documentation may file a claim for reimbursement of up to $50.
Claim Form Deadline
If you had your spark plugs replaced before you received the Class Notice in the mail, the deadline to file a claim is Aug. 25, 2016.
If you had your spark plugs replaced after you received the Class Notice in the mail, the deadline to file a claim is Feb. 27, 2017.
Case Name
In re: Ford Motor Co. Spark Plug and Three Valve Engine Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 1:12-md-2316, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
Final Hearing
1/25/2016
Settlement Website
Claims Administrator
Renkim Corporation
Ford Spark Plug Claim Center
P.O. Box 1968
Southgate, MI 48195-0968
1-844-881-0285
Class Counsel
James C. Shah
SHEPHERD FINKELMAN MILLER & SHAH LLP
Jeffrey S. Goldenberg
GOLDENBERG SCHNEIDER LPA
Defense Counsel
Krista L. Lenart
DYKEMA GOSSETT PLLC
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127 thoughts onFord, Lincoln Spark Plug Class Action Settlement
We submitted our paperwork but the shop forgot to put the plug part number on the form. Will it be denied
I have had 2 F150s and have a possible solution for those that are afraid to break their plugs. I’ll get to that in a second. Back in ’08 I broke a plug in my ’05 5.4 and freaked out, thinking I’d have to take it to the dealer and spend a fortune (of course it had to be the most difficult one to get to..next to the firewall). I found a tool that works flawlessly at removing broken plugs. It is a Lisle LIS65600 plug removal tool. Back then it cost me $90, but they are now on Amazon for around $60. I’d try that before going to a dealer. Just follow the directions to a T.
Now, to get them out with breaking in the first place, this is what I do: Remove the coil packs and spray a lot of WD40 in the cavity and let it sit for a while. Then using a breaker bar with extension and socket, SLOWLY start to loosen the plug. When you first feel it move, stop. Give the WD40 a minute to penetrate into the threads.Then turn it in the opposite direction as if to install, then back it out a little more. Repeat several times until you get it all the way out. You have to do the back and forth thing several times to allow the WD40 to get down in there, but it works. Using this method i have not broken a single one after 4 changes on 2 vehicles. No guarantee it will work for you…I perform maintenance before Ford says to and it works for me. I’m not waiting 100K miles…mine get done at 50K. No documentation so i guess I’m only getting $50 back from Ford. :(
Happened on my 2006 Mercury Mountaineer with the v8 engine as well.
Already did
I never heard of this.I have 398678 miles on my 2004 f150 nhad one plug repaired by ford as it came out of head.plus one coil at 254000 + – miles .
You are one in a million. Glad you didn’t have the problems so many have had.
Upon Fords request I continued driving my 2007 Expedition, when my truck started skipping. I paid to have it diagnosed, but since the Service engine light had never been on they could not tell me which coil/spark needed to be replaced. I asked if is was best to have all of the coils and plugs replaced, and was given a price of over $2200. So I did as told, When the Service engine light finally came on I immediately took the truck to the Ford lot, only to be told that because I kept driving I needed to replace the Catalytic Converter. Do I also get my money back for this? I paid well over $3000, to fix the problems that the spark plugs caused. Could someone please tell me if this is going to be covered?
Oh I forgot to mention that when you replace the coils/spark plugs if they break during extraction, it cost another $150 per spark plug.
Exactly right Dextra that happened on 2 of ours
This is bogus 120xxx and proof sorry i never thought that you would actually so something about a problem every single ford owner in the world knows about. Pay up to everyone from 99 to present bc you made the mistake
So if you waited until over 120,000 you are screwed because you don’t have documentation that you were told to wait by a dealership. We bought the truck from the dealership with 96,000 miles and trust me when I say they never disclosed the issue. At 130,000 we have spent two weeks and over $2000 to fix it? I guess that is one way they can get around it and not have to pay up.
YEP Had the same prob with a 03 e350 van with the 5.4 liter engine
same here with 02 econoline van
This needs to be expanded beyond the model years listed. I have a 2001 Expedition that this happened to and spent hundreds getting it fixed as well as two return trips before it was finally fixed correctly.